Venezuelan Masters

Pedro León Zapata

Pedro León Zapata(La Grita, Táchira, 1929) Venezuelan painter and cartoonist. Relevant figure of photojournalism of Venezuela, its broad humanistic education has also served to interpret through their artwork the most diverse cultural and artistic manifestations (literature, politics, bullfighting ...) in the Spanish and Hispanic culture Son of a military man, Colonel José León Zapata, and Maria de Lourdes Monroy, completed his undergraduate studies at the Liceo San Jose de Los Teques, moving in 1943 to hone their artistic skills already evident in the School of Visual Arts. His name began to sound in journalistic circles of his country following the publication of his first cartoons in the magazine puppets, directed by the great poet and essayist Nazoa Achilles. While cultivating this aspect of graphic illustrator, was also released as a painter in the group consisting of brush artists were brought together under the pilgrim named "La Barraca de Maripérez"

However, fame came after 1964, when first published in the newspaper El Nacional a kind of editorial graphics, truly witty and brilliant, they were baptized by journalist Omar Perez with the aggressive Zapatazos name. And respected and hailed as one of the great cartoonists of his day, became a popular character in one of his most celebrated creations, the charismatic Coromoto, a shrewd and suspicious representative of the lower layers of Venezuelan society. Coromoto, star of numerous graphic comments emerged from the pen of Pedro Leon Zapata, identifies with the poor people hungry for their thinness and the rags that barely enough to cover it, but also for the intelligent fears by putting on the promises and declarations solfa of powerful

Besides this character, whose name has come to integrate into the cultural heritage of the common people of Venezuela, Zapata has been distinguished by the extensive use in graphic satire of some iconic figures, like chameleons antediluvian (symbols of the classes reactionary) and old decrepit and mourning.